I use a Cuisinart drip coffee maker and either Folgers or Maxwell House, whichever is on sale. That's where my tastes lie at the moment. The coffee was getting kind of bitter so I cleaned the machine and replaced the filter. Now it tastes like crap Using the same amount of coffee the flavor is too weak, like water. And one extra scoop makes it taste plain nasty. Not really bitter, just bad. Not like coffee at all. The fact that I've made a couple pots that taste very weak has me ruling out that it picked up some kind of taste from cleaning the machine, otherwise the bad taste should be even stronger. Plus I was very thorough in rinsing it.

I guess my next option is to open a new can of coffee and see if that helps, but I've never had coffee go bad before, so I have my doubts if that is the problem. I just wasn't sure if it could be something I overlooked. You've got hot water and you've got grounds, what more is there? Could the water be running through the machine too quickly or something? Do machines go bad without something noticeable breaking and they simply start brewing bad coffee?

And I am doing my best to not let this be the reason to jump into a fancier machine

Quite a mystery!
Can't help you, I'm sorry. The only two coffee machines I used in the past were always consistent in the coffee they brewed. One was very good, the second just decent. And one day, they just passed away, I mean, I couldn't detect any degrade in the quality, just a sudden death of the machine.
I have to say that, using my moka, I do have different results, mostly due to washing it thoroughly or keeping it at rest for a long time and then using it again. But a moka is not a coffee machine...

Does you machine grind the beans or use ground coffee? Try filling the water level only to the amount of coffee you want to make. Make sure the filter is placed correctly. For bitterness just add a pinch of salt to your grounds before starting the machine, this works wonders but I don't know why?!

Kenna makes great coffee, not sure if you get this brand.

__________________Odette "I used to jog but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass."

You might try adding just half a scoop extra if a whole scoop is too much. I do that with my Gevalia coffee pot. It may also be something with the coffee. I also use Folger's and have found that in the last couple of months, I have to add that little extra to get the right flavor. If I don't add the half scoop, it's too weak and if I add a whole scoop it's too bitter. Maybe get a small can of a different brand or a dark coffee and see if that makes a difference.

Sounds like you are not getting the water hot enough for a good extraction.

Use a thermometer to take the temperature of the water coming out of the machine.

Ideally, the water should be 195-200. Most auto drip brewer pnly heat the water to 165 or so. If yours is below that the boiler is shot.

.40

__________________"I must say as to what I have seen of Texas it is the garden spot of the world. The best land and the best prospects for health I ever saw, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here."Davy Crockett, 1836

177F seems to be the median. I honestly can't say if it was ever higher than that or not, unless 195-200 is the industry standard for all machines.
Maybe it's dying a slow death and I simply got used to drinking bitter and under-brewed coffee.